Tag Archives: savory

To Market, To Market

February 8, 2015
twistedbasics
brickyardfarms, dried fruit, local, pork, savory, winter

It’s been an interesting winter. Powerful storms have dropped feet of snow, only to melt during the next cycle of upward temperatures. Regardless of what goes on outside, I love this time of the year. We savor indoor activities like reading, contemplation, projects and weekend visitors. We vacillate between soups or stews to gratins and roasts.

We eat differently in winter. I tend to cook food that takes more time and intention. Is there anything better than the aroma of Sunday dinner wafting through the kitchen? One of my favorites is stuffing a pork loin with porcini mushrooms and dried apples. So enjoyed by my family, it has replaced our traditional turkey at Thanksgiving. It’s a perfect dinner for company, when you want to create something special. Each spiral slice looks beautiful on a plate.

Fortunate for us, we have options for great grass-fed beef and milk-fed pork at the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market in Grand Rapids, Michigan where we are seasonal vendors. With high-quality meat, this is a entree worthy of the season.

Proscuitto-Wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples

Filling:

1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
3/4 cup dried apples
1 lb Tuscan kale, bottom stems removed
2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup minced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp cognac (I use Hennessy)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb ground pork

Pork:

1 trimmed and butterflied 2.5-3.0 lbs pork loin (have your butcher do it for you or follow directions below)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 medium apples (such as Granny Smith or Fuji), quartered
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup hard cider
1/2 cup chicken stock

Filling:

Place dried mushrooms and dried apples in separate bowls. Add 1 cup boiling water to each bowl. Let mushrooms and apples soak until very soft, about 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms. Cover and chill mushroom soaking liquid. Drain apples, discarding liquid. Finely chop mushrooms and apples, combine in a small bowl, and set aside.

Meanwhile, blanch kale in boiling salted water for 1 minute, until wilted. Using tongs, transfer kale to a bowl of ice water. Drain on paper towels, once cooled completely. Remove any large ribs.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and apples; cook, stirring occasionally until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme and rosemary; cook for 1 minutes. Add cognac and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl, let cool completely. Add ground pork and combine well.

Pork:

Open butterflied pork loin, cover with plastic wrap. (If your pork loin in not butterflied, do the following: Put pork loin on a work surface and beginning along one long side, cut 1/2 inch above the underside of the loin. Continue slicing slowly inward, pulling back the meat with your free hand and unrolling the loin like a carpet, until the entire loin is flat.) Using a meat mallet, point to an even thickness.

Stuffing just before assembly2.

Uncover pork, season with salt and pepper. Place kale leaves on top of loin in an even layer, overlapping as needed and leaving a 1 inch border. Spread filling on top of kale. Roll pork into tight cylinder. Wrap one layer of prosciutto around roast. Tie roast securely with kitchen twine in 1 inch intervals. Tuck rosemary sprigs under twine, spacing apart. Roast can be made 1 day ahead. If making ahead, cover and chill., then let stand at room temperature for one hour before continuing.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place apples in a roasting pan. Melt 1 Tbsp butter with oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Brown pork roast on all sides, about 5 minutes total, then set on top of apples in roasting pan. Add hard cider and 1/2 cup of water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in pan. Pour mixture into roasting pan. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140 degrees, about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Let roast rest for at least 20-30 minutes.

Pork loin stuffed, tied and ready for searing

Place roast on platter. Reserve apples from roasting pan; spoon off fat from juices in pan. Place pan on top of stove over medium-high heat. Add chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquid, leaving any sediment behind, and cook, scraping bottom of pan to release any browned bits, until slightly thickened; about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain sauce; slice pork. Serve apples and sauce along side pork.

Serves: 6-8

“As long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.” –Frank Kafka

Made For Each Other

Don’t we all know when certain combinations go together? Like tomato and basil, greens and eggs, steak and mushrooms, bacon and everything! Each day can be an adventure in eating! When we eat the magic that each season offers there are combinations that are savory surprises. This week we needed to use some of the acorn squash we were storing. We thought a pairing with chicken thighs was a simple, yet delicious combination. Quick, easy and satisfying, you can put this together in no time and your family will love the results.

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ACORN SQUASH:

1 lemon, ends trimmed, halved and cut into wedges
6 bone-in, skin-on chick thighs
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup local maple syrup
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 tsp cumin
1 medium acorn squash, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch rings
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Marinating chicken thighs

In a a large bowl, toss chicken thighs with lemon slices, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, sage, coriander, salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes to an hour.
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine syrup, butter, additional salt and cumin. Simmer for 3 minutes. Toss mixture with squash slices.
Spread squash in a 9×13 inch pan. Nestle chicken and lemon on top of squash. Roast for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, toss scallions with 1 tsp of olive oil. Scatter over squash; keep roasting until chicken is no longer pink, about 30-40 minutes more.

Ready for the oven

Serves 4

“All the statistics in the world, can’t measure the warmth of a smile.”

Savory combination of squash and chicken.

Toxic Thoughts

January 31, 2015
twistedbasics
appetizer, brickyardfarms, change, chicken, paleo, savory

Can we talk? I mean really talk? I love liver…always have. Maybe it’s my German heritage. I know, I know, some of you have to get past the yuck factor; but when you get past all those toxic thoughts, you’ll learn it is one of the most nutritionally dense foods you can eat. Yet how do I convince all you skeptics out there? After all, its been appreciated for thousands of years, and recently advocated by Paleo enthusiasts. Why, its developed a bit of a cult following.

So let’s start by stating some nutritional information. Liver actually contains, gram-for-gram, more nutrients than any other food!

Nature’s most-concentrated source of vitamin A and vitamin B12, and rich in all other B vitamins
Great source of folate (folic acid is the synthetic stuff found in vitamin pills)
Rich in copper and chromium
Co-Q10 for heart heath and antioxident benefits
High quality protein
Contains an “anti-fatigue” factor (making it great for individuals fighting anemia, like me!)

Another misconception is that liver stores the toxins and therefore is not safe to eat. It is true that liver is a detox organ. But it is not true that liver is where the toxins are stored. What it does store is a motherlode of critical vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidents. These are what help the liver get rid of the toxins in the body–not trap them inside. One caveat I do strongly suggest is insisting on grass-fed liver from pasture-raised chicken or cows. The term “you are what you eat” does not only apply to humans.

So there it is…I suspect that if you were inclined to eat liver before, you will continue. If you have never tried liver, I urge you to give this recipe a shot. It’s savory, rich and delicious. Who knows…you might just like it.

Sauteing with fresh rosemary and vermouth

CHICKEN LIVER PATE:

3 Tbsp ghee
1 lb grass-fed chicken livers
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, cleaned, and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2/3 cup white vermouth
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 cup ghee, (plus a little additional for melting on top)
Sea salt

Melt first 3 Tbsp of ghee in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the livers, onions, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the livers are browned.
Add the garlic, vermouth, mustard, lemon juice and rosemary. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is gone. Allow to cool.
Process in a food processor with 1/4 cup of ghee. Season with salt to taste. Place in individual ramekins or mold, pour melted ghee over top to preserve. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours. Freeze additional ramekins for future use. Serve with crackers, coarse mustard and pickled red onions.

Serves 8-10 total

And so GOOD for you!

“Laughter is an instant vacation.” –Milton Berle

Short On Stature, Big On Flavor

Ready for slow cooking in the oven

I have a confession. I’m really a vegetable lover. When it comes to meat, it better be savory and it better be tender! This recipe meets both requisites with ease. We are fortunate to have great resources for grass-fed beef in our area, such as Woodbridge Dairy in Byron Center, Michigan. With beef short ribs there are two different cuts available: English-Cut and Flaken-Style. When I develop recipes, the biggest challenge for me is to measure amounts to duplicate the result. I have decided that the Paleo approach is a template that each of us decides to what degree we follow. For example, wine is a beautiful meat tenderizer, the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process; so you will find dry red wine in this recipe. It is up to you whether or not you adjust for it. I also don’t use the flour often recommended during the browning process. Instead I used tapioca, which is gluten-free to help thicken the sauce. I also serve it over mashed cauliflower instead of the typical mashed potatoes, to help keep it in the Paleo realm. The result was well received. Please feel free to share your thoughts and/or adjustments for this approach.

Browned short ribs ready for the oven

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs:

4 Tbsp olive oil
4-5 lbs grass-fed bone-in English-Cut beef short ribs (about 10-12 pieces)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 celery stalks, diced
12 medium sized carrots, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 cup finely diced shallots
1 head garlic, cloves separated and thinly sliced
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Aleppo chili flakes (I use Penseys)
1 cup homemade beef stock
2 cups dry red wine (whatever the cook’s drinking)
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup Tapioca
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 recipe cauliflower mashed potatoes (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 F. Dry short ribs and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven to medium-high. Add olive oil and brown all sides of beef ribs in a single layer (about 12-15 minutes total). Set a side. Repeat with the remaining ribs.
Lower heat to medium. Add celery, shallots and carrots to oil and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until shallots are soft. Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir to blend, about 2 minutes. Add Aleppo chili, thyme, bay leaves, stock, wine, and Tapioca. Bring to a simmer. Place beef ribs on top of sauce. Turn to coat. Place in oven, covered for 3-4 hours; pulling out each hour to turn ribs in their sauce. Cook until fork tender.
Put a dollop of cauliflower mashed potatoes in a shallow bowl. Top with one or two ribs, sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serves 4-6

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes:

1 head fresh cauliflower, cut into flowerettes; placed in pot with water to cover and 1 tsp salt. Bring water to boil and cook for 15 minutes
1/4 cup ghee
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Drain cauliflower and add it to the bowl in a food processor with ghee, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.

Savory and tender

“Food in the end, in our own tradition is something holy. It’s about sharing,

it’s about honesty, it’s about identity.” —Louise Fresco

Not The Same Old……..

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

It’s always a little disconcerting, but change is hard. I did things a certain way for so long that when the need arose to upend my culinary avenues, I experienced a certain sense of loss. When this feeling would raise its ugly little head, I would repeat the following mantra, “Don’t cling to the past, embrace the new!” I needed to set my “Curious George” free. So I did. Similar to learning a new instrument, a new sport, a new hobby; cooking within certain parameters didn’t have to be boring.

I also recognized that my personality and sensibilities also needed to be acknowledged. For example, my addiction to snacking (particularly crunchy, salty) would have to be addressed. I found that the “out of sight, out of mind” approach worked well after I got through the first 2 weeks. I also had healthy choices on hand, like apples with almond butter, when I needed a snack. I have always chaffed under restrictions, so I didn’t want to follow some plan like a religion. This requires that I honestly evaluate how I feel after each meal. Even the new can lead to healthy habits over time. I would need to befriend: patience and persistence.

The past week here in southwest Michigan, has been bitter cold. With wind chills as low as -25 degrees, our wood-burner has been working overtime. Soups and stews were definitely on the docket. We stocked up on winter squash in late fall at the farmer’s market: butternut, spaghetti and acorn. I’m particularly fond of butternut. Its so versatile. When it comes to soup, butternut is my go to squash. Typically made with Granny Smith apple to accentuate its inherent sweetness; I always lean toward the savory. I also prefer to roast the butternut, rather than boil it. It takes a little longer, but the depth it creates is worth it. I nestle in some Bosch pear slices while I’m at it as an unexpected garnish; and the oven helps keep our kitchen warm.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2 butternut squash, halved with seeds removed
3 cups homemade chicken stock (or gluten-free in a carton)
3 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp Maldon salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp Braggs apple cider vinegar
1/3 lb bacon, chopped, fried until crisp, drained on paper towels
1 Bosch pear, cored and cut into sixths,
2 tsp chopped fresh chives

Roasted Bosch pears

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cut two butternut squash in half from top to bottom, remove seeds, rub cut sides with olive oil and place cut side down on a jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until soft when pierce with fork. Let cool. Scoop out flesh from each half and puree in blender or food processor in batches with chicken broth. Set aside.
Roast Bosch pear on parchment paper for 20-25 minutes until soft and caramelized. Set aside.
Heat small dry skillet on medium-high. Add cumin seeds and toast until fragrant and slightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Grind in mortar and pestle. Set aside. If mortar and pestle is not available, use ground cumin.
In large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil on medium heat. Add shallots and saute until soft about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, ginger, salt, cinnamon and Aleppo pepper and saute an additional 2 minutes, being careful not to brown.
Add pureed squash, chicken broth and apple cider vinegar to pot. Simmer on medium-low until heated through.
Serve in individual bowls. Garnish each bowl with a slice of roasted pear, sprinkle with bacon and chives.

Serves 4-6

Savory and warming butternut squash soup

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” —–Albert Einstein

Free Radicals

Sweet, salty and savory!

Food. Humans have been obsessed with it since the beginning of time. It defines us geographically, ethnically, culturally and economically. It has been a focus in my life since I made my first pie at age 10. It is my vocation, entertainment, art form and passion. As a vegetable farmer, I felt I was eating a balanced diet of the recommended vegetables, whole grains and proteins. Needless to say I was shocked when I had a life-threatening intestinal bleed-out in June of 2014 the repercussions I’m still sorting out. What should I avoid? How do I prevent it from happening again? When I discussed the food connection with my gastroenterologist, he was unconcerned since my tests proved inconclusive.

One thing I have learned since my health crisis, is that the medical profession for all of its wisdom, does not largely advocate diets that address the symptoms of the diseases they treat. They adhere to their protocols using prescription medication to treat symptoms of disease, rather than the possible genesis of the disease through diet.

It was clear, that my partner Val and I would need to be proactive with our own research to help determine how I could avoid future frightening episodes. We started reading in earnest, books such as Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis. The mere word ‘diet’ can sometimes freak me out. Would I have to do this forever? No artisan bread? None the less, we decided to go gluten-free. Then came the shocker: within 48 hours, my brain fog disappeared! I had learned to live with its slowness for well over a decade, chalking it up to menopause or the aging process; but it was gone and has not returned. Really? My thinking was so clear that I became an evangelist for the gluten-free lifestyle. Although at one time I thought gluten-free was an over blown food fad, here I was subscribing to its tenants. As we continued to connect the dots, our investigating lead to the Paleo Diet. Now mind you, for a foodie like myself, I was nervous that I would not find enough variety to sustain this approach. And could we just stop calling these approaches diets?

Paelo….my god is there material here! Dozens and dozens of cookbooks, plans, pod-casts and blogs. Still…I have, and continue to have reservations about its restrictions: no grains, no legumes, no dairy. But like most things in my life; I jumped in with both feet. Rather than focus on what I couldn’t have, I focus on the variety I do have. When I consider the abundant approaches of ethnic food, I knew I would put my creativity to the test! To that end my first recipe is a take on a Cuban Beef Picadillo. I used our own roasted tomatoes, but you can use Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes with almost equal success. It’s great over roasted spaghetti squash or as a lettuce roll-up. My food future certainly seems less bleak. Bon Appetite!

Sweet, salty and savory.

Perfect as a filling for tacos or a wrap.

CUBAN BEEF PICADILLO

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. pasture raised ground beef
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 medium yellow onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes, pureed
1/2 cup golden raisins
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 farm fresh hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub olive oil on cut sides of squash. Place on jelly-roll pan, covered with parchment paper, cut side down. Roast for 50 minutes. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, onion and garlic; cook stirring occasionally, until wine is almost evaporated, about 5 more minutes.
Add the tomatoes and raisins and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped eggs, olives, and cilantro.
With a fork, scrape some of the spaghetti squash into individual bowls. Top with sauce.

Serves: 4-6

“Ethnic diversity adds richness to society.”

—Gary Loche

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